Sometimes in life, we need to be pushed forward a little to stay encouraged and motivated. When the pressure of giving your best is acting high, you need something to hold you and ensure that you are fine.
We don’t need much, just a few lines or sayings that would bring back the lost energy. We consciously put effort into learning from experienced and successful people.
So here we are!
We are suggesting 8 speeches that you can listen to when you’re feeling down or demotivated.
Will Smith – Pursuit of Happiness
Will Smith’s inspirational words to his son in the movie Pursuit of Happiness, 2006, is considered one of the best motivational speeches of all time.
In the scene, Will Smith tells his son that he won’t be able to excel in basketball as he couldn’t. The son, on hearing this, becomes upset. Seeing his son disappointed, Smith says to him, “Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something, not even me.”
This short conversation between the father and son touches broken hearts, letting them get up and follow their dreams.
“You got a dream, you gotta protect it. You want something, go get it. Period.”
Steve Jobs – Stanford Commencement, 2005
Steve Jobs, in his speech at Stanford Commencement, focused on “How to Live Before You Die” sharing his own experiences and struggles as an entrepreneur.
The key message that is derived from his speech is that we are always learning, always growing, and finding out new information. What matters is what we choose to inhabit from that information. That decision will define what we become.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
J. K. Rowling – Harvard Commencement
The Fringe Benefits of Failure’ is the most famous speech of all time. In the speech, J.K. Rowling mentions her struggles throughout her journey of Harry Potter’s publication and success till movies. Even after being rejected multiple times, she didn’t lose hope and kept pushing herself every step forward.
“We can use imagination to manipulate or control certain people or situations, or we can use it to understand and sympathize with others, thus turning it into a force for good.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger – “Work your ass off”
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most famous speech can motivate you to work better than you can. He discusses his journey to success. He also motivates the listeners to work every day, constantly, to get closer to their main goals and properly utilize every hour of their day.
“Imagine if you worked on a business every day for an hour. Imagine how further along you would get.”
Eric Thomas – I can, I will, I must
Listening to Eric Thomas will make you believe that you can always get through the adversities life offers you, no matter how challenging the challenges are.
He asks the listeners to select three people from your life and think about them every day. He says, “The days when you don’t feel like getting up, just think about them.”
Thinking about these three important people, before taking any decision, will help you make the right decisions.
Keeping your loved ones before you and see how it will bring a peaceful satisfaction and happiness.
“I can get through this, I will get through this, I must get through this.”
Barack Obama DNC speech 2004
Barack Obama has set an amazing example as the president of the United States. In his speech at Democratic National Convention, he inspires the listeners to beat the odds and become something great. Obama says, “When you work hard with the right intention, you can accomplish anything.”
Bill Gates – Harvard Commencement Speech, 2007
Bill Gates is the most successful dropout of Harvard University. His speech at Harvard Commencement 2007 is an inspiration.
Throughout his speech, he ensures that the listeners do not take dropping out of college/university as giving less importance to academics and education.
He also mentions that he was interested in attending lectures of his field of interest rather than what he had to.
“One of the most precious memories of Harvard is being in the midst of so much energy and intelligence. Education is important, and it is a privilege. However, getting to know the wider world is also important, even though it’s shocking for the most part.”
Elon Musk – USC Commencement
Elon Musk is one of the most inspiring persons worldwide.
Elon Musk, in the USC Commencement speech, focused on 4 things that one should do to achieve what one desires to accomplish.
First, work proportionally to achieve what you want to. He doesn’t talk about luck or gut instincts, instead, he inspires the listeners to work hard.
Second, Musk acknowledges the power of teamwork. He says, “All a company is, is a group of people who have gathered together.”
Third, Elon Musk says to concentrate on the developments that your company or product requires to be better rather than going on with the trend.
Finally, Musk advises taking risks. He says that one must jump into new opportunities and experiment with different things.
“If you want to start a company, you need to work super hard.”
The Takeaway
Here are a few points you should remember,
- Love what you do. Be interested. Be present. Be the best you can be. Do it because you want to do it, not because you have to do it.
- Failure is a part of success. Accept it. Learn from it. Move ahead and don’t repeat the same mistakes.
- Be a learner. Never think you have enough knowledge. Be stupid, ask whys and hows. Keep learning.
- We hope you will remember these things and will listen to these inspiring speeches.
